Carol Burns rediscovers her love of shopping and browses the treasures at Clifton Ceramics & Fine Jewellery
When browsing the delights of Clifton Ceramics and Fine Jewellery the challenge is in limiting myself to just a few desirable objects. There is a stunning selection of ceramics that you won’t find anywhere else – among them are pieces by Willliam Moorcroft from around 1900.
It also stocks most of the Moorcroft limited editions including plaques, clocks and the wonderful lamps complete with silk shades. There are also enamels from Elliot Hall and Moorcroft, as well as specially commissioned pieces on china by former Moorcroft/Worcester artist Steven Smith.
The shop also boasts more than 300 pieces of contemporary Moorcroft pottery from Stoke. This is English heritage, unique and loved worldwide.
When it comes to jewellery, the stock is either vintage, second hand or handcrafted new and of precious stones – diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires. There are rings, pendants and sometimes secondhand Cartier and other well-known names.
Clifton Ceramics and Fine Jewellery specialises in interesting, one-off pieces of high quality, as are all the stones. At the moment it has pear, marquise, emerald and brilliant cut rings in stock and silver gifts.
“People love to come and talk to me about Moorcroft, tell me about their collections and come to see new pieces and I too love to see them,” says owener Susan Courtellas.
“I have customers from all over the world who know that as an independent premier Moorcroft retailer the pieces I stock are of first quality, the best painted and tubelined and I can be trusted.”
When we speak, Susan has just taken delivery of a Buckingham piece, which celebrates the Queen’s 90th, and is marked as such on the underside.
Clifton Ceramics & Fine Art
58 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4JG
